On the Herdade da Toula in Idanha-a-Nova, on property which has been in the hands of the Giraldes family since the 16th century, there have always heen breeding grounds. It was, however, at the end of last century, that breeding became focused on a group of chestnut mares with Península blood, as written down in the Books of Victoria Pereira in 1887 and Chaves de Lemos in 1903.

In years of drought, these mares were walked to the fresh pasture of the lowlands of Quinta da Graciosa in Anadia (250 kms away). Horse breeding has always been part of the family tradition, aided by the love of hare coursing of the 2nd and 3rd Marquises, the love of fox-hunting of the 4th Marquis (1st Master of the Hunt of Santo Uberto) and the love of "classic dressage’ of the 3rd and the present Marquises.

Only in 1943 however was the stock bolstered, with the purchase of 10 chestnut Lusitano mares from the National Stud.
The stallions used in the 40s were ZURITO (1944), X1SSÓ (1945) and BILBAU (from 1945-50), all from the National Stud.
In the 60s. the stallion GABIRU was used and from 1980 National Stud stallions were again used, specifically XUMAÇO, ENGLOBADO, HONESTO later INFALÌVEL and NABUCO both with our brand. All the mares are broken in and saddled, with a view to obtaining really functional animais.

In 1975, a group of Anglo-Luso crossbreds was acquired from the Telles Carvalho Stud and the National Stud. these being kept for sport on the Quinta da Graciosa in Anadia.